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Spend three years in Canada and you might qualify for Canadian citizenship without renouncing your allegiance to your home country. Since 1977, Canada doesn't mandate that newly naturalized citizens give up those ties immediately. Dual citizenship has a negative side, though, including dual taxes and military service. According to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (cic.gc.ca) website, failure to comply with obligations in either country where you hold citizenship could result in imprisonment. Still, for some citizens, advantages such as social security programs outweigh any potential inconveniences.

Step 1

Access a Canadian citizenship application on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website or call the CIC office at 1-888-242-2100.

Step 2

Verify you meet the criteria for dual citizenship. You must be at least 18 years old. If you wish to apply for citizenship for a child, you must prove you are the child's parent, adoptive parent or guardian. One parent must be a Canadian citizen. You must have permanent resident status in the country. People ordered to leave or extradited don't qualify. You must live in Canada for three years uninterrupted within four years of the application. People between the ages of 18 and 54 must prove they can speak either English or French by submitting a CIC-approved test or provide secondary school transcripts. You must also pass the interview portion of the citizenship test and demonstrate your knowledge of Canadian history.

About the Author

Mimi Bullock's writing reflects her love of traveling the back roads of small towns and sampling the local cuisine. As a regular feature writer for "Southern Hospitality Traveler" and journalist for "Beachin' Magazine," she gets to experience the rich heritage of the southern culture. She is also a licensed cosmetologist who has her own skin care line.